There are many names for this lovely sweet-scented lei blossom which originated in the Americas. It is native to the neotropical realm, including Mexico, Central America, Brazil, the Carribbean, and Florida. During the 15th Century Spanish colonists spread them through south-east Asia. In the 19th Century they were introduced to Polynesia, including Hawaiʻi. They are now found throughout the tropic zone, including desert areas where they do well with irrigation.
Hardy and easy to grow as long as they have both plenty of water and good drainage, in Hawaiʻi, the trees formerly were commonly planted in graveyards for their beauty, fragrance, and shade. This lead to many Hawaiʻi people not wanting to wear them due to association with death, and their nickname, “make-man flower” [MAH-kay man], “dead man’s flower.” Other families, however, do not have that association for them, and so they are a popular flower for lei and wewehi.
For many people who grew up in the islands prior to the 1990s, the fragrance of the plumeria wafting into the plane after a long flight from America or Asia immediately gave a sense of being home.
Plumeria, today, is a favored lei flower because of its relatively low cost and its durability. The plumeria can be picked up to three days before use, if kept in a cool location. Due to the open throat they are easy to sew into garlands, and due to the length of the throat they also can be wrapped into lei wili and other styles.
Would you like to learn more about the language of the lei?
Buy Hua ʻ Ōlelo Lei – A Lei Maker’s Dictionary on Amazon.
